Thursday, December 13, 2007

Fedora or Trilby??

After holding myself from not following the trend of fedora hats...I ended up buying one from Topman...not exactly it was a fedora hat, mine was actually referred as a trilby hat....I just fell in love with the soft material which provides the comfort for my head, plus the black ribbon giving a touch of sweet masculinity....

So what is actually the difference between a fedora and trilby hat??

The FEDORA is a soft felt hat that is creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched in the front on both sides. Similar hats with a C-crown (with an indentation for the head in the top of the crown) are occasionally called fedoras. The term fedora was in use as early as 1891.

The word fedora comes from the title of an 1882 play by Victorien Sardou. Princess Fédora, the heroine of the play, wore a hat similar to a fedora.

In the early part of the 20th century, the fedora was popular in cities for its stylishness, ability to protect the wearer's head from the wind and weather, and the fact that it could be rolled up when not in use. The hat is sometimes associated with prohibition-era gangsters and the detectives who sought to bring them to justice.

The popularity of the fedora has resulted in a large variety of styles being available. Fedoras can be found in nearly any color imaginable, but black, grey, and tan/brown are the most popular. In the U.S., fedoras were considered an essential part of the suit and of business and formal attire. Most men did not go outside without wearing one

Beginning in the 19th century, the fedora came into use as an upper-class clothing accessory. Hats that resemble the soft felt version are often called fedoras even if they are made of straw or twill.

However, in the United Kingdom, a fedora is also called a trilby. They typically have a shorter brim and the back of the brim is distinctively more sharply upturned as a result.

The TRILBY hat is a soft felt men's hat with a narrow brim and a deeply indented crown. Traditionally it was made from rabbit hair felt, but now it is sometimes made from other materials, such as tweed, or wool. They are similar to fedoras, but with a narrower brim. The hat's name derives from a play based on George du Maurier's 1894 novel, Trilby. A hat of this style was worn on stage during the play's first London production. The trilby has been a symbol of chic elegance and class, and has been associated with jazz, ska and soul musicians. It has been popular among the rude boy, mod, skinhead and 2 Tone subcultures. In the UK, trilbys have also become popular within the Emo fashion.

Other interesting fashion hats??? The BOWLER hat like this one below....:)